With More Ways to Bet Than Ever Before, Over 33 Million Americans Plan to Wager on the NFL This Year
With the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent politicization of the NFL, football fans seem to be less excited for the 2020 season than any year in recent memory.
Whereas casual fans might not be watching as much NFL football, bettors are more enthused than ever to wager on the 2020 season. According to a new survey, more than 33 million Americans are planning to bet on the NFL this year. With more legal sportsbooks available and more betting options than ever before, bettors will be attacking the upcoming season hard, and you can too.
33.2 million Americans will bet on the NFL this season
According to a new survey from the American Gaming Association, 33.2 million Americans will wager on the NFL this season. Only 20% of that group will be betting at in-person casinos, too.
With sports betting moving predominantly online, it’s easier than ever for casual bettors to make an account and bet from the comfort of their homes. Betting with legal and illegal mobile platforms is expected to increase by 5% from last year.
Sports betting also has casual fans much more intrigued about the upcoming season. The survey revealed only 18% of the general population is excited about the 2020-21 NFL season, whereas 54% of sports bettors are excited about the year.
Sports betting is easier and more widespread than ever before
Sports betting is now legal in 19 states, including Washington D.C., across the country, and that number is constantly growing. In the next few years, more than half of the 50 states will have legalized sports betting available for residents.
The growing legality of the space is contributing to the boom in sports bettors across the country, but it’s also easier than ever to place a bet in America. Chris Altruda, national sports betting industry analyst for Pennbets.com, says the growing wave of mobile sports betting is bringing more and more customers to the window.
I think the first thing is obviously public acceptance. There’s no longer this sense that it’s forbidden. Having it legalized and accessible in a tangible sense as opposed to going to an offshore site is one of the biggest differences because it creates easier accessibility for not only bettors but also the general public who want to try it. The allure of doing it on your smartphone or laptop and not having to go physically go to the casino, I think having that literally at your fingertips is a very large selling point.
Chris Altruda
If you’re interested in taking up sports betting for the NFL season, there’s no better time to do so.
How can you get involved betting on the NFL?
As long as you reside in one of the 19 states that have legalized sports betting, you can place your first wager in as little as five minutes. Mobile sportsbooks are easy to sign up for and even easier to use.
FanDuel and DraftKings are a few of the most popular sites for sports wagering, but there are multiple online sportsbooks in every legal state.
Betting options aren’t limited to spread and over/under, either. You can make in-game bets on what the next play will be, who will score the next touchdown, and more. Sports betting adds another layer of interest to games for even the biggest football fans, and it’s never been easier to get involved.
